Just Friends
by ninirific
Summary: Bella and Edward are long time friends. Each has a respective significant other...for the time being. Will their friendship ever amount to anything else? Rated M for future chapters. AU AH. Please R & R!
1. Late Night or Early Morning

**A/N: I own nothing related to Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, or the Twilight Movie. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just having fun. **

*~*~*~*

**BPOV**

I was waiting for my alarm to ring again after I pressed snooze a few minutes ago when I heard my computer make the little ringing noise letting me know I had a new instant message. I rolled over on my rather juvenile twin sized bed and groaned inwardly at the idiotic thump my heart gave. That in itself was enough of a signal for me to know who the message was from. Sometimes, I felt like maybe my body was a bit psychic or something. _No, idiot. Only when it comes to him._

I glanced over at my monitor and saw the little white box in the middle of the screen. _Might as well get up and see what he wants_. I threw my purple bedspread off of me and stood up, twisting at my waist and stretching my arms over my head. I had been so lazy all day yesterday. I barely even got up from bed. It was ridiculous really, but it wasn't like I had a whole shitload of stuff to do. I was pretty caught up on all my homework and Mike, my boyfriend, was out of town this week visiting his parents in Forks. Sadly enough, I didn't miss him all that much.

Reaching my desk, I pulled out my black mesh-backed chair and sat down, pulling the keyboard out from the drawer. I peered at the screen, head cocked to one side and one of my eyes slightly closed. _I knew it. Edward._

_**EaC1918: You there?**_

I sighed as my heart thumped louder and faster. _When would I get over this silliness? He's not even in front of you, Bella! _the rational side of my brain yelled. I started typing.

_**BellaS: Yea, I'm here. Thanks for waking me up!**_

_**EaC1918: Sorry. I just wanted to talk to you.**_

_**BellaS: *scoff* Sure ya did. So, what's up?**_

_**EaC1918: Not much, just got home.**_

I looked at the time on the bottom right hand corner of my screen. 6:35 am. _He's just getting home now? Ugh. _My leg started that annoying bounce-y thing that apparently meant I was either stressed or ticked off. Or both. I ran my hands up and down my face in frustration. _Of course he's just getting home Bella. He had a night out planned with that silly what's-her-face yesterday. Get a fucking grip!_

_**BellaS: That's right! Big night huh? Did ya have a good time?**_

_No one ever said I wasn't a masochist. _

_**EaC1918: Not really. It wasn't all I hoped it would be. **_

My breath hitched. _Not all he hoped it would be. Hmm. _I wondered what might have happened. Edward was one of my best friends. Edward Cullen. Boyfriend of one Jessica Stanley. I wanted to rip her stupid fake highlighted curls right out of her head.

_**BellaS: Bummer. What happened? Pretty late (or early) time for it not having been a good date.**_

_**EaC1918: She didn't take too kindly to being out at the beach at night. Something about the salty air not being good for her complexion…or her hair or some shit.**_

That Jessica chic was such a bozo. And a ditz. Edward had started dating her at the end of last year right before the holiday season, so about 4 months ago. We were all sophomores at Seattle University. It only stands to figure that most of the Forks High kids would migrate just slightly for our "higher education".

_**BellaS: Sorry dude. Maybe she was just having a bad night?**_

_**EaC1918: Maybe, but I doubt it. She's been in a "mood" a lot recently. I don't know what is wrong with her. **_

_**Anyway, Mike still out of town?**_

_**BellaS: Yea, he should be back tomorrow night. **_

_**EaC1918: So…you feeling lonely over there? ::wagging eyebrows::**_

_**BellaS: LOL. Not that lonely, dork! =)**_

_**EaC1918: Can't blame a guy, right? ::wink::**_

I knew he was kidding. This is the way we were. We would mess around with each other making these comments but there was no truth to them. Nothing really there to back them up. Well, I know that if he so much as ever looked at me a certain way, I'd be jumping his bones…no questions asked. But I knew that those thoughts were one sided in this relationship. He was my friend. A really good friend. I know he cared for me. Loved me even. Like a guy would love his friend or sister. I'd never be more than that to him. Which is why I'm dating Mike. Mike is a good guy. Really, he is. He was tall and athletic. Blue eyes. Cute face. There was just one problem with him though. He didn't make my heart stop and start again at double speed. _Ugh!_

I decided to end this conversation soon. I knew that if it went on for longer, I would only just get myself into more trouble. Then, when it was time for me to see him at lunch or at the coffee shop or anywhere for that matter, it would be _that_ much harder for me to pretend that his presence didn't affect me in such a strong way.

_**BellaS: Well, Eddie-boy…I gotta go get ready for class. **_

_**EaC1918: Oh, ok. I should catch some sleep anyway. You free for a coffee run later?**_

_**BellaS: Yea sure. Just give me a call after noon. TTYL.**_

_**EaC1918: Will do. See you.**_

I signed off and got up to start my morning routine, Edward's face dancing in my brain. Walking into my bathroom, I looked in the mirror. "You're pathetic", I said to my reflection. I furrowed my eyebrows at myself and started brushing my teeth. _Mike, Mike, Mike, _I chanted in my head. I needed to focus on him and forget what's-his-face. Edward would never be more than just my friend. I realized this a long time ago and needed to move on. Yet again.

*~*~*~*

**A/N: Hi all!! Thanks for reading. This is my first foray into an actual "story" so please feel free to shoot me critique, ideas…anything really. More of their history should be revealed in the next chapter. I should update pretty often, but I do work and go to school so please, pretty please bear with me if I take a bit longer. Put me on alert and you'll be the first to know. =) xoxox**

**Reviews are smiles. **


	2. Coffee? Or coffee?

**A/N: I own nothing related to Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, or the Twilight Movie. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just having fun. **

*~*~*~*

**EPOV**

_**BellaS: Well, Eddie-boy…I gotta go get ready for class. **_

_**EaC1918: Oh, ok. I should catch some sleep anyway. You free for a coffee run later?**_

_**BellaS: Yea sure. Just give me a call after noon. TTYL.**_

_**EaC1918: Will do. See you.**_

I sat there staring at the monitor after pressing send that last time. I leaned back in my chair and rubbed my stomach. Grimacing, I clicked the window closed and rolled the chair back, turning it around to see the rest of my room. I laced my fingers behind my neck. _Ah, Bella. _Bella was my girl…my best friend. Some might say that's not possible, but it is in our case. You can hardly be more than friends when the other party in this 'friendship' didn't see you _that_ way. I thought back to the first day we met.

_We were juniors in high school. Bella had just moved up from Arizona because her mom re-married and she decided to stay with her dad, Charlie during her remaining high school years. I remembered the first time I saw her getting out of that beat up truck in the school parking lot. I was taken aback by her pale skin and dark hair. Damn, she looked beautiful. And different. She hadn't even noticed all the looks from guys she was receiving. Then, as she had made her way to the school's entrance, she had tripped and laughed at herself. And I had chuckled. So fucking different. I spent the rest of the morning looking for her in the hallways and in my classes. First and second period passed with no sighting. I made my way to lunch much the same way as I had been all day. My eyes darted around at all the faces in the halls, looking for a specific face. It wasn't until I walked into the cafeteria that I saw her. She was standing in line holding her food tray and waiting to pay. She was standing next to another girl that I recognized as Angela from my first period class. On her other side was Angela's friend Eric. I didn't really know these people personally. I mean, I knew who they were. In a town this small and a school that was even smaller, it was pretty much impossible not to know who someone was. And everybody was always all up in your business…which is probably why Bella's arrival was such a huge deal. That and the fact that she was just plain hot. _

_I pretended not to notice her but kept an eye on her as I made my way to my usual table. She kept looking down and shuffling her feet in this cute way that just showed how shy she was. I thought then that all this attention must be making her uncomfortable. At least for some time, she was going to be front page news in this school. Just then, my sister Alice and her boyfriend Jasper sat down at the table and I forced myself to focus on the conversation they were starting. I spent the rest of the lunch period talking nonsense with them and casting glances at Bella. With the conversation around me quickly losing my interest, I looked in her direction. She was staring at me. So I did what any red blooded teenage male would do. I gave her a half smile. She blushed the prettiest color I'd ever seen and looked away quickly and I laughed. Once lunch was over, I made my way to my next class. Biology. I walked in, headed to my desk, and stopped short. She was sitting there. At my desk. I smiled and sat down. I looked over at her and she glanced at me with a small smile. "Hi, I'm Edward. Edward Cullen.", I said. She looked up at me with a surprised look on her face and said "I..I'm Bella. Swan". She smiled up at me then and I was a goner. _

I sat up from the chair and walked over to my window, opening up the curtains. It was yet another dark gloomy day here in Seattle. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and slouched forward a bit, shaking those thoughts from my head. That shit was a long time ago. For a while after that first meeting, I had considered asking her out. Take her to the movies or to dinner or something. I never did it though. And pretty soon, there were a few guys vying for her attention. _Ah, but I was smart, _I thought tapping my temple with my index finger. _I became her friend._ Then I kicked my own ass for a while when I realized we would never move beyond that. Every once in a while though, she would look at me a certain way with those big brown eyes and I thought maybe, just maybe, she felt something for me. Then the moment would pass. So, here we were now, years later and still friends. Just friends. _In the past, _I thought to myself firmly. _All in the past. I have Jessica now and Bella has Mike. Bella was happy with Mike. That's the end of that. None of that mattered anymore._

I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration and looked at my watch. It was nearly 7 am. I needed to get some sleep if I was going to be good for anything today. I set my alarm for eleven and set about going to sleep.

_ _ _

**BPOV**

I walked out of class and looked at my watch. _11:45 am. _Edward should have called or texted me by now. I pulled out my cell and turned it on. While I waited for the messages to come in, I started heading towards the coffee house. Sometimes I really, really regretted going into this damn English major. Lipowitz, my professor for Creative Writing, just announced we were going to focus for a few weeks on poetry. This I did _not_ like. Especially the fact that she was making it…ugh, _love_ poems. What the heck? Can't a girl get a break? The last thing I wanted was to write poems about love. I'd need to write what I _know. _And what I _know_ is that the only person I've ever loved, _that_ way, was Edward Cullen. I'm usually great at living in my little denial-filled bubble that I'm just positive would never ever pop on me. I didn't need some professor making me dig up those pesky feelings I'd wrapped up all nice and gently a while ago. I could live with the occasional jealous outburst or melancholy sigh when I'd see him. I could _not_ live with having to lay out all my love in painful heaps on paper. _Dammit. _

I checked to see if my phone was ready. Of course, his message was already in.

_Call me when u get out. I'll be at the coffee house working on some stuff._

_Or just meet me there. C u .E._

I sighed, adjusted my bag's strap higher on my shoulder, took a deep breath and marched forward. Feeling like I was walking into a war.

_ _ _

I opened the door to the coffee house and stepped inside, automatically looking around for Edward. I saw his distinctive bronze-y hair flopping around while he banged his head to the music blasting in his ear. I smiled. And I stared. Then he looked up. And he smiled that crooked smile of his. Then my heart hitched and started going double speed. _Stupid heart…I should just trade you in for a new one. _I made my way over to him and flopped down in the seat.

"Hey Eddie-boy", I said.

"Bella, Bella, Bella", he started, shaking his head. "I know I've told you I don't like that name".

I shrugged. "I know. That's why I say it". He cocked his eyebrow at me but dropped it.

He motioned towards the barista. "Coffee? Or coffee?", he asked.

"Oh, definitely coffee", I replied, smiling. He got up and made his way over to put in the orders. I took advantage and watched him. Shifting my head to one side, I looked at his ass for a beat longer than necessary. But who can blame a girl? That boy was built…well, let's just say he was built really nicely. He had a great body. Tall and athletic looking, but not in that jock-no-neck way. And his face. God, his face was to die for. Strong jaw line with barely there stubble that never seemed to go away. Pink puffy lips. Intense green eyes with some gold in them. Hair that could only be described as sex hair. To sum it up…beautiful.

He made his way over with our drinks and placed my latte in front of me as he sat down. "So what do you have planned this weekend?" he asked.

"Umm…Mike should be back." He nodded and took a sip of his coffee. "We'll probably do something, I dunno. What about you?"

"I might be busy running away from Jessica", he said and chuckled. I just smiled half heartedly. What was I supposed to say? It hurt to think of him with her. She got to hold him, kiss him whenever she wanted, and hold his hand just to feel closer to him. I couldn't let myself think about them…together…too much.

"I thought maybe we could catch a movie", he said. "If you have some free time".

"Maybe, yea. I'll let you know", I said and he smiled at me. _Just ask me to drop Mike. Tell me. _

Changing the subject, I started asking him if he'd seen the new Office episode. We quickly got into a semi-heated discussion about who was funnier, Dwight or Michael. I was pulling for Dwight and he was going for Michael. We went on like that for some time jumping to music, his latest issue with his classes, and my poetry crap. One hour turned into two and I didn't want to leave. I wanted to sit here and subject myself to this self torture forever.

Then, my phone rang. It was a text from Mike. He'd be back by the next morning. I told myself for the hundredth time that I needed to cut Mike loose. This wasn't fair to him. I shook my head and looked up at Edward. He nodded and for a second it felt like he knew what I was thinking. _Ridiculous Bella._

"Come on", Edward said. "Let's get out of here. I'll walk you to your apartment." We all lived in the University Apartments right on the outside perimeter of campus. I grabbed my bag and turned towards the door. Edward put his arm around my shoulder and we left. I poked him in the rib and he pulled me in, kissing the top of my head with a laugh. I reveled in the feeling of his body so close to me while rolling my eyes at him. And at myself.

*~*~*~*

**A/N: Hi again. I know the story feels a bit slow right now, but I'm trying to get some history in there as well as let you all get a feel for their relationship. I'm gonna try to pick it up soon though! Promise. Remember, feel free to shoot me critique or ideas! Thanks for reading. =) xoxox**

**Reviews are hugs. **


	3. A Movie & Space

**A/N: I own nothing related to Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, or the Twilight Movie. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just having fun. **

**Sorry for taking longer with this one!**

*~*~*~*

**BPOV**

On Saturday, Mike came back from Forks. Sadly enough, I wasn't even looking forward to seeing him.

At around noon, he called me.

"Hey Mike", I said as I answered the phone.

"Cutie…miss me?", was his lame reply.

"Hmmhmm…", I said. _No, I didn't. I miss that other guy even though he's always around._

"I'm here in my room. You know, if you wanted to…stop by?", he prodded. I knew from the tone of his voice what "stop by" actually meant. _Ain't gonna happen._

"Maybe later? I'm trying to finish up a response I have due." I said.

"Alright! Your loss, sugar!", he said. I tried not to gag.

"Ok, well…I'll talk to you later! Bye." I waited to hear his goodbye before snapping the phone shut.

Just then, my phone buzzed again. Exasperated, I grabbed it to tell Mike I really needed to finish this assignment. It was a text from Edward.

_Movie tonight? They're playing a few good movies. E._

_Sounds like a plan. Pick me up at 7? B._

_Sure thing. :) E._

Response? What response?

_ _ _

**EPOV**

As soon as I got Bella's reply that the movie thing was a go, I jumped in the shower. It would be nice to have a relaxing evening with her for a change.

After my shower, I got dressed and headed out. I was going to make a quick stop at the coffee shop to get us some coffee.

I got to Bella's about 10 minutes early so I went upstairs. A minute after I knocked, she called out "It's open!". I shrugged and walked in. I didn't see her right away, so I figured she was in the bathroom.

I called out, "Hey Bell…its me".

She poked her head out of the bathroom door and smiled at me.

"You're early…oh, hey coffee! Awesome. I'll be just a minute." she said and went back to getting ready.

Her hair still looked all wet from the shower. I swallowed hard and tried not to think of her in the shower.

_ _ _

We drove up to the theatre and bought tickets. We had chosen to see _Push_ that came out recently and looked good. On our way in, I got us some popcorn and sodas.

As soon as the trailers came on, we glanced at each other, smiled and threw our feet up on the chairs in front of us. It was our thing. Since the auditorium wasn't that full, we weren't bugging anyone in front of us.

The movie was good and full of action. In the slower paced parts though, I couldn't help but sneak glances over at Bella. She looked really beautiful tonight. Her hair had dried naturally and she was barely wearing any make up. Whatever she had put on her lips had all but come off now with the soda and popcorn and they just had a natural looking color to them.

As I stared, she caught her bottom lip with her teeth and started nibbling at it. I don't know why and I didn't see it coming but I had a strong reaction to seeing her do that. I'd seen her do that a million times and knew it was like a nervous tick for her.

But as I watched, I couldn't help wondering what that lip tasted like. I suddenly wanted more than anything to lean in and pull it between my teeth. I swallowed hard.

Bella is my best friend. I had forced myself a long time ago not to look at her that way. And it had been working.

I must have been making her uncomfortable with the staring, because she turned to look at me, raising her left eyebrow in question. Her face said a perfect _What?_

And I couldn't answer. I just stared. She let go of her lip. Then the screen flashed and I could see a blush rising in her cheeks. _What am I doing? _I thought.

I cleared my throat and gave her a small smile. She smiled back and I turned to the movie determined to keep my eyes on the screen. After a moment, I sensed her turn her face to the screen as well. I took a deep breath.

The last thing I needed was to start having these thoughts about Bella.

_ _ _

**BPOV**

The next couple of weeks passed by quickly and were pretty uneventful. Except for the little fact that I broke up with Mike.

I did. I just couldn't take it anymore.

I tried so hard to focus on him and just _be_…but it wasn't fair to him. Or to myself. He deserved to be happy with someone who could actually give themselves over to him. I couldn't do that because my heart was taken a long time ago. Because I don't think I'd ever get it back.

After that night at the movie and the way he looked at me…_Why did he look at me like that? _He had unnerved me so much at that moment and it killed me to not know what he was thinking. The darkness of the theatre hadn't allowed me to see the expression in his eyes, but then in the flash of light from the screen, he had almost looked…shocked. I didn't understand it. He didn't say anything. And I couldn't ask.

So I went on with my life. Went to my classes. Thought of Edward. Did my homework. Dreamed of Edward. Focused on anything else. Avoided Edward. He wouldn't allow it though. I tried. I tried my best to stay away from him. To give him the space to be with _her._ To give myself the space to get over _him_.

Then he would send me an e-mail. Or a text. And they were full of _him_. Of everything about him that I love.

So I resigned myself to this life. Begging and praying for numbness. For someone to just take these feelings away. But I'm just so tired. Why can't he just love me back?

***~*~*~***

**A/N: There you have it. I hope you liked it. I'm going to be in D.C. for the weekend so I won't be updating, but I promise I'll get right on it next week!**

**Reviews are good luck wishes for my trip. =)**


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